Just My Duty
by TwelveTurquoise12
Summary: A dragon kidnaps a princess who's about to get married. Except the dragon is a really bad captor and the princess doesn't mind as long she has her cat. Medieval AU with eventual ChibaHaya.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.**

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 **A/N: This takes place in the west instead of at Japan. I admittedly did not do a lot of research, so pardon my mistakes. Also, females here are not as suppressed as their medieval counterparts. Homosexuality is less taboo, but it's still not widely accepted by the public.**

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 _Thunk!_

Princess Rinka allowed a small smirk to grace her features. The arrow she had shot had landed securely in the bullseye of a wooden target. A series of claps sounded next to her, and Rinka spun to look at her elder brother.

"Wow, I can only wish I was as good as you are," Prince Hiroto said wistfully. None of his arrows had hit the bullseye, yet every one of Rinka's arrows had.

"But you're really talented at using swords, Hiro-nii," Rinka reminded him. "We all have our strengths. Anyways, where's Lady Hinata?"

Hiroto shrugged his shoulders. "Probably kicking ass somewhere." For the heir of a kingdom, he sure used bad language, however he only did so in front of his wife and his younger sister.

"Hiroto-nii, I'll be eighteen soon, who shall I marry?" Rinka asked while drawing her bow again.

Hiroto's eyes followed the arrow as it swished through the air. Bullseye again. "Well, Yuuma's out of the question because he's betrothed to Princess Megu," he said, referring to his best friend, who happened to be a prince too. "Prince Taiga's been courting you ever since you were fourteen, but I don't really trust him and his kingdom is poorer than ours. Prince Karma's kingdom is extremely powerful and we would benefit greatly if you get married to him, but I've heard he's sadistic and he hasn't shown any interest in marriage."

"Prince Itona's kingdom specializes in machinery and equipment, which can also benefit us. I don't like or dislike Prince Itona so I wouldn't mind being married to him if it helps our kingdom. I like Prince Nagisa's personality, but his kingdom is new and relatively weak," Rinka mused. "Prince Tomohito is friendly but our kingdoms are very far away from each other."

Arranged marriages were very common. Sometimes, by chance, both parties could truly love the other, like Prince Yuuma and Princess Megu. They were the perfect, fairytale couple. Or sometimes, the couple could have a rocky start, like the fiery Lady Hinata and the equally fiery Prince Hiroto. They were always somehow fighting with each other over the most trivial things. Recently, their relationship had improved immensely (thanks to Rinka who had enough of their noisy fights). Rinka could only hope her future husband was decent. She knew she had to be married sooner or later to secure ties for her kingdom.

A meow sounded and Rinka felt soft fur rubbing on her leg. She put down her bow and picked up the fluffy tabby kitten at her feet, and her serious expression immediately softened. "Yumi-chan, you're bored, aren't you?" She scratched under the cat's chin and it purred happily. "Hiro-nii, I'm going hunting."

"Alright. I would say stay safe, but you're the archer princess. No one's gonna mess with you," Hiroto affectionately tousled his sister's hair. She shot him a cold glare, and he grinned cheekily. Rinka scooped up her kitten and prepared to set off.

Everyone in the palace knew Rinka loved to hunt. Everyone knew she loved to hunt _alone._ However, for safety's sake, several guards would accompany her to the woods. One of them was Rinka's best friend, Rio. One the way, Rio kept on blabbering on how none of the available princes were good enough for Rinka.

"Prince Karma is simply a devil. Well, a _hot_ devil. But I bet he looks down on you and your dad and the kingdom, because he's an arrogant asshole like that."

That was why Rinka knew so many "bad words". Her brother and best friend, two of the closest people in her life, used them constantly.

"Prince Itona always says weird stuff like 'my kingdom will be strong again' and 'I am strong'. The only thing that's attractive about him is his eyes. They may look dead, but that colour is _exotic,_ I tell you."

"I'm actually considering Prince Itona," Rinka admitted. "The machinery his kingdom produces is quite fascinating. I can secure a good supply of machinery for our kingdom if I marry him. He did take a bit of interest in me the last time we met."

"He was staring at your chest," Rio replied bluntly. "It wasn't even that noticeable, with your dress and all that. At least he wasn't all grabby like Prince Taiga. But remember that rumour where Prince Itona was involved with witches and dark magic?"

"I don't really trust rumours." Rinka dug her feet in the sides of her horse and sent it galloping. They were now in the woods, the leaves and branches casting shadows over them. Rinka took in a deep whiff of the scent of nature. It made the hunting blood in her go alive.

"So, you're after Prince Itona," Rio caught up with her. "Personally, if you're asking me, I think you should aim higher. Prince Karma may have a bad reputation, but he treats his servants decently. Remember how a servant bumped into him on our last gathering? She apologized and he waved it off. That was pretty nice of him."

Rinka recalled the nervous servant whose purple hair was in a braid. She was scared out of her wits when she accidentally hit Prince Karma, but he had soothed her. Rinka had to admit her respect for him raised a bit after that incident.

"Maybe you're right, but Prince Karma still obviously looks down on us. I'm not attractive enough for him."

"Yeah, maybe there's a way to make them all want you…" Rio stared at a spot at the distance. "Like, I dunno, an archery contest since you'll slay at that."

Rinka heard a sudden rustle of leaves next to her. She immediately grabbed her bow and fitted an arrow at the string.

"Is there something wrong, milady?" Rio asked.

"Shh!" Rinka hissed, aiming at the place where the suspicious noises came from. The guards followed suit, arrows poised to kill.

"Come out!" Rinka commanded. "Or else we will shoot!"

Silence.

After several tense, noiseless seconds, Rinka lowered her bow. Nothing had happened, and no one seemed to be there. She turned to look at her alert guards.

"It's probably a hare or something. Let's keep going."

As they trotted deeper in the woods, they didn't notice a gigantic, scaled creature hiding among the thick foliage. It slowly raised its head in the direction of the riders.

Its head was hideous with obsidian scales covering every inch of it. Two curved, pointed horns stood atop its head. Worst of all was its sharp, blood red eyes that seemed to glare at Princess Rinka with murderous intent.

The unnoticed dragon crept away and spread out its huge, bony wings. It launched itself into the air and flew away, a plan hatching in its brain.

A plan that involved the princess and her suitors.

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"Rin!"

The sweaty girl turned to see her sister-in-law, Lady Hinata. She was dressed in a formal purple robe, which was extremely unusual for her because she preferred comfortable pants to dresses. Rinka nodded in acknowledgement.

"So, your dad had decided to host a ball in our kingdom in two weeks time. On your eighteenth birthday." Hinata's amethyst eyes had an uncharacteristic solemn look in it. "You know what that means."

"We'll be talking about my marriageable status," Rinka said. She was neither happy or unhappy about it. It was her duty to secure ties with other kingdoms, and she would do so by marrying important figures. This was for the good of her kingdom.

"It is likely that Prince Itona will bring you a gift. It is to impress you, so you better be. Or act impressed if you're not." Hinata stared seriously at Rinka. "This is a very important ball, Rin."

Rinka's mouth went dry. "I know. I'll try not to mess it up."

A big smile appeared on Hinata's face. "Well now that's done…"

Hinata slid off her robe to reveal the simple tunic and breeches she wore underneath. "Time for another fistfight! Thank God I finished my duties today. Being serious is tiring."

She gave Rinka a little wave. "See you at dinner! I heard you caught a deer, so I'm looking forward to it!"

"See you later," Rinka replied. She walked to her room and was immediately greeted by her lady-in-waiting, Hinano. They had known each other since they were young, and Rinka honestly thought of her more as a friend than as a servant.

"Rinka-chan! You're back!" she sang, orange curls bouncing around her face. "I've prepared a bath for you!"

"Thank you, Hinano." Rinka untied the pigtails in her hair and let it fall down in waves. She quickly undressed and slipped into the heated, scented water.

"Soo… about the ball on your birthday…" Hinano started cautiously.

"I think I'll be marrying Prince Itona. Rio wants me to marry Prince Karma because he's richer, but I think he has no interest in me." Rinka let the warm water lap over her skin. "Plus, both Prince Itona's kingdom and our kingdom can benefit from our marriage. We're known for being a good trading port, and they're known for their technology."

Hinano grinned. "Alright! I'll make sure you look completely stunning at the ball! The princes better be ready!"

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 **A/N: This is for Day 7 of ChibaHaya Week 2018- AU. This will be a short story with hopefully short chapters.**

 **Even though I say it's ChibaHaya, it actually starts with them being friends. It's another slowburn fic.**

 **Please read and review! I'll love to see what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.**

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"Princess Rinka."

"Prince Itona."

They bowed and curtseyed respectively. As per the custom, Rinka stretched out her hand and Itona kissed it.

"A happy birthday to you, Princess Rinka," Itona said.

"Thank you." Rinka smiled, and observed the prince- her prospective _husband_ in front of her.

Itona's snowy white hair was slicked back instead of the spiky hairstyle Rinka had seen before. His eyes were the colour of honey (Rinka was reminded of Rio's comment on Itona's "exotic" eyes) and they regarded her as cooly as ever.

Rinka herself was wearing a sleeveless emerald green dress to bring out the colour of her eyes. The neckline was a little lower than she wanted, but she was assured that the princes would like it.

Prince Nagisa and Prince Taiga also attended the ball as eligible bachelors. Prince Yuuma and Princess Megu attended on behalf of Hiroto, whom they were good friends with. An invitation had been sent to Prince Karma, but he was absent.

Despite the number of princes at the ball, everyone more or less had an idea on who Rinka would choose.

"Princess Rinka, you look as stunning as usual," Prince Taiga drawled as he came up to Rinka. Rinka tried hard not to hit him, and instead forced out a weak "thank you". Hiroto, sensing his sister's discomfort, cleared his throat loudly and sent Taiga a mean glare.

After greeting everyone at the ball, gifts were presented to Rinka. She received a container of rare herbs from Taiga's kingdom (they specialized in agriculture), an amethyst necklace from Nagisa's kingdom, but the most impressive gift of all came from Itona's kingdom.

"This is one of our latest inventions," the servant had said, holding up an elegant metal bow with carvings of flora and fauna on it. A hush fell over the crowd as Rinka gingerly picked it up.

"It is a modified bow with extra strength and flexibility," Itona introduced the weapon. "The bow string is specially made too, allowing higher accuracy."

Rinla didn't even have to pretend to be happy. As an archery enthusiastic, she was very much impressed by the bow. She ran a finger down the smooth surface of the bow. She already knew this was a powerful weapon, and she longed to test it out.

"We also present to you a quiver of arrows," the servant bowed. One look and Rinka knew these were special arrows with sharp metal heads. These weren't for archery practice. These were for fighting.

"Thank you very much," Rinka breathed. Itona shifted on his feet, a satisfied look on his face. He was sure he had won the heart of the princess. Taiga scowled while Nagisa just smiled politely.

The servant retreated to the side next to a hooded figure. Rinka narrowed her eyes slightly. The hooded figure was probably from Itona's kingdom. Rumours of Itona being associated with dark magic came to her mind.

Itona's kingdom used to be a complete wreck. During the reign of Itona's father, the majority of the people lived in poverty, and riots were common. One day, an eleven year old Itona disappeared, causing hysteria among his kingdom. Two weeks later, he returned and magically enough, his kingdom started to prosper. People at that time thought Itona had made a deal with the devil, but when a mysterious hooded figure started to appear at Itona's castle, the rumours changed to him being associated with a witch. After Rinka had seen the hooded figure, for the first time, she wondered if the rumours were true.

A lively tune sounded from the musicians, and Rinka was broken out of her thoughts. After the gifts presentation, it was time to dance.

Rinka was actually a good dancer, and when she was young, she had spent hours dancing with Hiroto, laughing when he stepped on her toes. She knew the first dance had great significance, so she reached out her hand to Itona, who took it.

Behind them, Taiga sighed softly, knowing he had lost.

As Rinka and Itona spun in the middle of the dance floor, Rinka glimpsed Hinano behind Itona's shoulder. Her lady-in-waiting seemed to be engaged in animated conversation with the hooded figure from Itona's kingdom.

After a short exchange of pleasantries between Itona and Rinka, the latter asked the former, "Who is that person in the hood?" and gestured to the figure next to Hinano.

"You'll know soon," Itona replied, and Rinka knew it was all he would say.

 _Soon. You'll know soon._ After her marriage with Itona, Rinka would live at Itona's castle, and would therefore know more about the secrets they hid. That mysterious figure was probably one of them.

Hiroto stood to the side, his wife Hinata next to him. Hiroto watched his sister and her future husband carefully. He knew Rinka was more than capable of defending herself in case Itona tried to harass her, but still, he had natural brotherly instincts to protect her.

"Don't be so worried," Hinata told him. She had noticed Hiroto's grip on his wine goblet was unusually strong.

"Yo, Hiroto!" a cheerful voice called, and the duo spun to see Yuuma and Megu.

"Hinata-chan! How's your marriage life now?" Megu asked pleasantly, the hems of her gorgeous blue satin dress brushing against the floor. Hiroto knew Megu was easily the most beautiful person in the room, but for Rinka, Megu toned her outfit down a little. Megu was also friends with Hinata before they both married.

Hinata sighed. "Well, it's a bit better, but this _brute,_ " she jabbed Hiroto's arm, "is still as infuriating as ever." Hiroto shot her a glare but didn't reply, and took a long sip of his wine instead.

"When are you going to have kids?" Yuuma asked suddenly.

Hiroto spat his wine out and choked. Yuuma thumped him on the back.

"Uhh, never?" Hinata replied drily.

Yuuma gave both of them a look. "Hiroto is the heir. Producing offspring is a given."

"Yeah, I knowww," Hiroto groaned. "Probably later. We're still young. We haven't talked about it."

The ball passed by in a flash. For the first time in four years, Taiga actually stopped bothering Rinka, but he remained rather subdued throughout the evening.

After the ball, Rinka dared to ask Hinano about the figure she had seen her with at the ball.

"Oh, Kirara-chan!" Hinano exclaimed excitedly. "She seems so gloomy and dark but she's actually pretty cute!"

"Why is she at the ball?"

"I don't know. She didn't talk much," Hinano admitted. "But she did say she was from Prince Itona's kingdom."

Rinka frowned. "That's… interesting." She absentmindedly stroked Yumi's fur, who purred in her lap.

Hinano helped her to change into comfortable indoor wear, and once she left, Rinka cuddled up in her bed, hugging the blankets close to her chest. Yumi leapt up to Rinka's bed and snuggled beside her owner.

Every since she was small, Rinka had heard stories of dragons kidnapping royalty. Brave knights would come to rescue them, and the tales usually had a happy ending, but sometimes, they didn't.

Rinka had hidden her knife in her clothes, so just in case a dragon came for her, she could at least try to defend herself instead of passively waiting for a saviour.

When they had been kids, Rio had wanted to be kidnapped by a dragon so she could tame it and "become an awesome dragon rider". This was, of course, impossible due to the cruel nature of the dragons, and Rinka had said so to her friend.

Rinka had a tiring day, so she fell asleep rather quickly, and her room was quiet and calm.

The night seemed sleepy and silent, but in fact, it was alive with creatures who chose to use the darkness as a cover.

Rinka's room was filled with a silvery moonlight that came from the closed glass doors that lead to her balcony. The bow and arrows she had received that day looked especially ethereal in the light. The moonlight casted shadows on the luxurious furniture, which seemed to twist and grow into strange, monstrous shapes during the night.

The light suddenly vanished from the room due to a huge something blocking the door. That something was in fact the dragon, the one who had overheard Rio and Rinka's conversation in the woods. Its red eyes seemed to glow in the dark as a clawed limb slowly pried the doors open.

Unnoticed by the princess and her cat, the dragon flew and landed softly inside the room. It scurried around the huge, richly decorated room, digging into wardrobes and shelves, and made a huge mess out of Rinka's room. At long last, the dragon made its way to the bed with the slumbering princess. The dragon scooped her and her cat up in its scaly arms, peered at the princess' peaceful expression, and turned to look at the midnight sky outside.

 _Sleep well, Princess._

With a flap of its powerful wings, the dragon zoomed off and disappeared in the night sky.

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 **A/N: Thank you for the favs and follows! :) Why do you think the dragon kidnapped Rinka?**

 _ **Jusque:**_ **Thanks for reviewing! I hope I won't disappoint.**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.**

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The cold night air whooshed past the dragon and Rinka as they soared through the clouds. The dragon was flying at a great speed, but he still occasionally looked down at Rinka and her cat, who were both cradled in his claws. The position was a bit uncomfortable for him, and probably for his passengers too, but he didn't want to put them on his back. He was afraid they would slip off when they were sleeping.

Rocking. The chilly breeze. All this stirred Rinka awake. Despite being sleepy, she immediately knew she was in a dangerous situation. Her eyes snapped open, and for a few seconds, she could only see bottomless black. The girl slowly slid a hand to the knife she had secretly hidden, making as little movement as possible. A warm, fluffy something was on her lap. It was Yumi, her cat. At least she had some sort of comfort in her unfamiliar situation.

She could feel a hard, curved surface under her. Rinka closed her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm her racing heart. Once her eyes had adjusted to the dark, she could see scales that flickered in the moonlight. Her heart leapt out of her throat. Scales meant one thing.

Dragons.

 _She was kidnapped by a dragon._

Rinka's blood froze to ice. A sudden tsunami of fear overwhelmed her, and she couldn't move, the only sound being the erratic thumping of her heart. She tilted her stiff neck ever so slightly as to catch a glimpse of the ground, but she could no longer see that campfires and torches that lit her kingdom up at night. She did not know where she was. And that terrified her even more.

Her sweaty hands gripped her blade. Her last line of defense suddenly seemed so tiny and powerless against this gigantic monster. Was she strong enough to slash the underbelly of the dragon?

The moment she raised her hand, the dragon growled loudly, flames bursting from its mouth. In the firelight, Rinka could see an ugly black head with sharp, red eyes which pierced through her. The dragon's neck bent backward towards her, and Rinka, although scared out of her wits, brandished her dagger.

"Return me to my kingdom at once!" Rinka commanded in what she hopefully thought was an authoritative voice.

In response, the dragon opened its huge jaws, and Rinka braced for fire and smoke-

"Listen."

Rinka blinked. She swore she heard a raspy, vaguely masculine voice from the dragon, but talking dragons didn't exist, so she was probably delusional.

The dragon must had seen her confusion, because he said, "I can talk." It sounded like an odd hybrid between a growl and a human male voice.

Rinka did not let her shock show. "The fact that you can talk doesn't excuse you kidnapping me," she retorted cooly.

The dragon's body rumbled, and for one second, Rinka seriously thought the dragon was going to throw her off. The dragon's head moved to the front, and Rinka noticed that his grip on her tightened. Before she could infer what that meant, the dragon veered sharply and she slammed against the inside of his claws. Yumi awoke with a yowl and thrashed in her lap.

Rinka's sense of direction was spinning wildly, and everything was a confusing mess. She could barely think clearly, let alone plan an escape route. Being kidnapped by a dragon was one thing, but she'd never heard of a _talking_ dragon. It was ludicrous. Was this thing a nightmare? But with the wind whipping against her cheek like a knife, and the uncomfortable twist of her stomach, she knew with unusual clarity that this was not a dream.

Before she knew it, the bottomless black sky was replaced with the faint shape of a cliff. The dragon started to slow down, his wings sending powerful gusts of wind towards Rinka, and she shivered, the knife trembling in her hands. Yumi was quivering, and had cuddled up in the fabric of her nightdress.

The dragon slowly spread his claws out towards a ledge on the cliff, which was just small enough for a human to stand on. Bright flames puffed out from his jaws, illuminating the ledge. Rinka cautiously stared at the ledge, held up her skirts delicately, and used one foot to step on the ledge. It was steady enough, so she thankfully leapt over to the ledge, grateful that she could feel solid ground under her feet again. Her face quickly hardened, and she glared up at the dragon, gripping her knife tightly. Yumi even gave a growl.

The dragon's red eyes stared hard at her, and she could feel his unnaturally hot breath. Despite that, she did not recoil. She wasn't going to let some dragon be the boss of her, a princess!

"I owe you an apology and an explanation," the dragon said. He was talking with small flames puffing out of his mouth to light up their surroundings.

"You have no excuse for kidnapping me. Please return me at once," Rinka ordered coolly, somehow sounding calmer than she actually was.

(She actually would rather have an unintelligent creature kidnap her. This dragon seemed to be as intelligent as a human, and would therefore be harder to outwit. After all, the dragon had put her down on a ledge so they could "communicate" (if that was the right word), but the ledge wasn't big enough for her to escape from the dragon. If she ran, she would fall down and die. She had no choice but to listen to the dragon. Smart move on the dragon's part.)

"I know you're nearing the age of marriage. And you're planning to marry Prince Itona, but it would be ideal if you could marry someone of higher status, right? Such as Prince Karma."

Rinka eyed the dragon suspiciously, wondering how he knew so much. "Wait- did you eavesdrop on me and Rio in the forest?"

The dragon looked oddly flustered for someone his size and power. "Y-yes, but I didn't mean to. I apologize."

Rinka was somewhat pleased that this big brute of a dragon was apologizing to her.

"Anyways, you friend mentioned it would be great if there was some way to make the higher ranked princes want you."

"That is true…"

"What if, let's say, you were kidnapped by a big, mean dragon that needed slaying? What if your father was so desperate to have you back, he would offer your hand in marriage to the prince who freed you? What if the prospect of slaying a dragon and rescuing a princess attracted the higher ranked princes?"

"Aha." Rinka nodded her head slowly. She was beginning to understand this far-fetched plan. "You're saying that me being kidnapped would arouse attention across the kingdoms. Surely, the princes that would be brave to come after me and succeed would be of rather high quality."

"I promise to take good care of you, Princess." The dragon suddenly seemed less aggressive, and, dare she say, his eyes had a softer look in them.

"How do I know you're not working with an enemy kingdom to hold me for ransom?" Rinka's mind was strangely sharp after the chaotic situation she had just gone through.

"I have simple motives." At that point, the dragon stopped, as if hesitating. "I owe my life to your kingdom, and I want to do something to help you, the princess. Besides, what do I want? Money? Fame? Certainly not. There's nothing the other kingdoms can give me."

Rinka still didn't fully trust the dragon. If he wanted to eat her or kill her, he would've done so already. However, like she said, he could also be secretly against her kingdom and working with her enemies. She was a bit curious on how her kingdom had saved the dragon, as she'd never heard anything about it. But, she supposed, she wouldn't unlock his tragic backstory until chapter ten or so.

Besides, she reckoned if the dragon was really against her, he wouldn't have tried to give her an explanation, and would've just whisked her off to some foreign land.

A chilly gust of wind blew in her face, and Rinka shivered, suddenly realizing the castle was so much warmer than the wilderness out here. She instinctively rubbed her arms together in a feeble attempt to keep warm.

The dragon snorted, and then she felt warmth radiate from above. The girl squinted up, and saw that the dragon had breathed out more fire in response to her being cold.

He tilted his head slightly and saw her gawking at him. The dragon stiffened and looked away self-consciously, then he nudged a chest to the princess.

Rinka eyed it suspiciously. "What is this?"

"I-I packed some of your clothes," the dragon muttered. "At least, I tried to," he added quietly.

Rinka cautiously opened the chest, and found a messy pile of random clothing for different types of weather. She dug through it and pulled out a cloak, and draped it comfortably over her shoulders.

And awkward silence followed. Rinka fiddled with her cloak, quietly debating her options in her head.

"Alright," Rinka finally said, "I'll go with you. On two conditions."

"Okay," the dragon replied simply.

Rinka's sharp green eyes pierced into the dragon. "First, you have to release me when I find a suitable prince. Secondly, you will not do any harm to me. Deal?"

The dragon nodded. "Deal."

Rinka shifted on her feet. "Soo… where are you taking me?"

"I managed to build a tower using materials from an abandoned castle."

The princess raised an eyebrow. "I thought dragons are better at destruction than creation," she remarked.

Smoke puffed out from the dragon's nostrils, which Rinka regarded as a dragon version of a sigh. "In all the stories you hear, the princess is always imprisoned in a tower. Don't you ever wonder where the towers came from? Those towers don't grow from trees, you know. And you can't use old towers, as people already know their location."

Rinka looked at the dragon's monstrous body, and then its sharp claws. They didn't look like they could handle delicate things, so she supposed the tower was a crude one.

The dragon must had seen her expression, because he assured her, "I know how to build stuff. I've had experience, so please don't worry, Princess."

"Ah, so I'm not the first person you'd kidnapped? Assuming you've built stuff before."

Something weird glinted in the dragon's red eyes, and for one second, he looked unbelievably vulnerable. The next moment, that look vanished, as if that little episode had never happened.

Rinka was surprised on how much her words could affect the dragon. Forgetting she was talking with a beast, not an advisor, she automatically said, "I'm sorry about-"

The dragon cut her off shortly. "No, it's fine. Sorry for interrupting," he added later in a somewhat sheepish way.

"It's cool," Rinka replied without thinking, the slang Rio always used rubbing off on her.

The dragon raised its big head to look at the inky, star-sprinkled sky. "Shall we go, Princess?"

Rinka peered at her surroundings for even just a hint of civilization, but darkness was the only thing around her. Just yesterday, she was at a lavish ball held in her honour, pretending to be romantically interested in someone she would at most care for as a friend. Now, she was outside, freezing, and being purposely held "captive" by a dragon who seemed to be on her side. Her life had taken a pretty drastic turn, but she still had to hold her head up high and live through it.

The princess smiled at her new companion. "Yeah, let's go."

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 **Happy new year! Hope you guys have a wonderful 2019!**

 **Sorry for going MIA for some time. School is hell, and my exams start two days afterwards, but I just** _ **had**_ **to update on the first day of a fresh year (this is going to be a productive beginning!).**

 **Replies to reviews:**

 _ **Guest:**_ **Thank you! Sorry I hadn't been specific earlier. Do you guys know about How To Train Your Dragon? No? That's okay. I roughly estimate this dragon's size to be around that of an adult Typhoomerang, a dragon in HTTYD. Just search "typhoomerang" or "typhoomerang size" on Google to get an idea. And Rinka's bedroom has a balcony, so the glass doors can be large enough for a dragon to pass through. Thank you for reminding me! :D**

 _ **Reade-Queen-Of-Versailles**_ **: Thank you XD I think Hazama gives off witchy vibes even in the original series, so I just kind of moved that to this AU. But I can't say much about her yet ;)**

 **Also, this story somehow mirrors my original story, with a prized heroine of a kingdom offered a shady (?) deal by a socially awkward, kinda red-eyed boy/beast who is targeted by the heroine's kingdom. Oh damn, now I spot too many similarities, potentially including: bargaining, sibling love keeps people sane, curses, demons, blood, a lot of blood, death (this is me giving spoilers for this story. Decide for yourself which ones are actual spoilers, which ones are fakes.)**

 **Thanks for the favs and follows, and please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.**

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 **A/N: I've discovered and fixed a mistake in the previous chapters. Prince Sugino should be Prince Tomohito. I apologize for the confusion.**

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Rinka couldn't relax.

She was fairly certain the dragon would not harm her at the moment, but it was still terrifying to be away from her homeland and be hundreds of miles above the ground. Granted, the dragon would catch her if she fell, but _still._

The dragon had told her to breathe evenly as the higher they got up, the thinner the air would be. A fur cloak around her shoulders, Rinka shivered, feeling the cold wind lash against her cheek like a blade.

She had convinced the dragon to allow her to ride on his back. She didn't want to be cooped up in the dragon's claws. With her legs and arms wrapped tightly around the spikes that protruded from the dragon's back, they shot off. Rinka noticed that the dragon started off slower at first, then gradually increased his speed, until they were flying so fast Rinka felt like a shooting star falling off the edge of the world.

At first, Rinka was terrified. Her horses were nowhere near as fast as this dragon! Had she made a mistake by trusting the dragon? Was she going to fall down and die? She clung on to the spikes for dear life and squeezed her eyes shut.

Gradually, she grew used to the wind and the speed, and slowly opened her eyes. At first, all she could see was endless black, but when her vision started to adapt to the dark, she saw vague shapes emerge from the unknown.

Rinka took deep breaths and managed to calm down. She looked up to see bright stars sprinkled across the sky, and Rinka actually recognized a few of them. It comforted her to know that she and her family would still see the same stars even if they were miles apart. A faint connection with them, but still a connection.

Rinka savoured the way the wind tousled her hair. It was like when she rode in the woods, only more intense. Rinka couldn't say she had been trapped in her castle as her parents allowed her freedom to roam and hunt in the forest, but there was something just so _addictive_ about being one with nature. Being away from the mundane routine of daily life. Just relaxing among the soothing sounds of birds and the crunch of leaves. A bit of courage seeped into Rinka's heart upon recalling her hunting days. She slowly relented her grip and spread out her arms.

The sensation was unlike anything Rinka had ever felt before. It was like riding a horse, only faster, way faster. She opened her mouth and felt the taste of the wind and the sky, sweet and dizzying. Rinka finally knew what it felt like to be a bird, gliding gracefully without a care in the world.

After what felt like eternity, a sliver of light appeared where the sky met the ground. Everything was quiet, all too quiet. A new day was beginning. The pink sun rose, higher and higher, colouring the puffy clouds in gorgeous shades of peach and orange. The sun's warm rays stretched out and gradually lit up the ground beneath them.

Sunrise. Rinka remembered dragging her brother Hiroto out of bed one morning to watch the sunrise. They were both just kids then, and unlike his sister, Hiroto had never been a morning person. While Rinka's fascinated eyes locked onto the sun-painted canvas, Hiroto was fast asleep next to her.

The little incident reminded Rinka of her family and her kingdom. Soon, they will rise, and Hinano would come into her room, and discover she was missing. They would then quickly deduce she had been kidnapped by a dragon and send out notices all over the kingdom and beyond. Hopefully, Prince Karma would get his hands on one.

Rinka's eyes were starting to droop, but she forced them open. She didn't want to sleep and risk falling off. Villages and pastures dotted the land beneath them, the chimneys and churches sticking out like pieces of chalk on a map. Who knew everything could look so different from above. It painted an absolutely breathtaking picture for Rinka.

The dragon started to descend. Rinka spotted mountains, hills, and lush forests. The dragon swooped through an opening between two hills and then all Rinka saw was an assortment of leaves and branches. There was something foreign about the forest, and a little concern bubbled inside her. _How far away was she?_

They entered a serene clearing, hidden and tucked among mountains. A lone tower stood there, sticking out from its surroundings like a sore thumb. The dragon glided towards the tower and allowed Rinka to jump off through the window.

Rinka surveyed the room. It wasn't small but it was simple, with not a lot of furniture. But she could worry about that later. She was too exhausted to function.

Rinka picked Yumi up, went to the bed, and fell fast asleep almost immediately.

* * *

When Rinka awoke, it was already past noon.

She instinctively realized something was up. Her bed was too stiff, the sheets too coarse. This was not the bed she was used to. That meant she was in an unfamiliar place.

Her eyes snapped open. A warm something was cuddling next to her. Yumi.

Sunlight shone through a window in the tower. Judging from the small square of sky Rinka could see, it was probably around noon, or even later.

Rinka emerged from her cocoon of blankets and scooped up Yumi. The cat yawned but nonetheless settled peacefully in her arms. Rinka cautiously stepped on the floorboards, almost as if they would break with every delicate touch.

Rinka recalled the events of last night (or was it this morning?). The deal with the dragon. Being kidnapped. Although it wouldn't be much of a "kidnapping" if she was taken willingly, right? Rinka laughed drily to herself.

A sudden swish of wind outside the tower grabbed her attention. _The dragon. It must be the dragon._ Rinka approached the window with small but swift steps, put Yumi down, and leaned out, her fingers gripping the ledge tightly.

A picturesque clearing, dotted with wild flowers, came into her view. Moss-covered stone walls towered over them, even higher than the tower she was in. Rinka heard the faint trickling of water and she craned her neck to see a small waterfall and an accompanying stream. A good supply of water could be guaranteed.

A veil of sunlight covered her and warmed her skin. Rinka breathed in deeply, and gladly recognized the sweet, earthy scent of the forest, which brimmed with energy and life.

The swishing sounded again, and this time, Rinka looked up. A huge shadow flew above her, and Rinka squinted at the monstrous shape. It was the dragon, black scales standing out sharply against the cornflower blue sky.

Rinka hesitated for a moment as she didn't know how to talk to dragon. She'd dealt with shady advisors, snobby royalty and flirtatious princes, but not with a speaking dragon who was somehow now her "captor" and ally. But oh well, they had a full abielt short conversation last night about her supposed kidnapping, so Rinka supposed she could have to manage.

Rinka finally decided on the simplest of greetings. "Hello!" she cried up towards the dragon.

The dragon abruptly stopped hovering around the tower, and zoomed down. Now they were in daylight, Rinka could clearly observe the features of this creature.

Ominous curved horns. Slick scales covering every inch of his body. And intimidating blood red eyes staring at her. He opened his jaws to speak, showing sharp teeth.

"Hello," he said.

"Where are we?" Rinka asked, all business-like.

"A long way southeast from your kingdom," the dragon replied. "You'll be safely hidden here for some time, as this region is rather undeveloped and unnoticed. The closest sign of civilization is a small village to the north approximately six kilometers away."

Rinka nodded, pleased by the information. She gestured around her. "Are there animals in this forest?"

"Yes, some wild hares and fish. There are some edible berries and plants too."

"Good. I'm going hunting," Rinka decided. "I'll need to get used to being around here." She said goodbye to her cat then leapt on the dragon's back. He lifted her over the stone walls to the land above. Rinka landed gently and peered at her new surroundings.

"If you need me, just whistle," the dragon said, hot air puffing out of his nose. "I'll stay back as I'll probably scare the prey away."

Rinka gave the dragon a once-over, noting his robust limbs and the thunderous footsteps they would produce. She agreed with him. "Yeah. You would scare everything within a one mile radius. Maybe even more."

The dragon beat his powerful wings and flew away, leaving Rinka in the silence of the forest. Using a common hunting trick, she walked forward briskly and noiselessly. Back at the tower, she'd quickly changed into a linen shirt and comfortable pants to allow easier movement. She had also put her hair into pigtails, which was her standard hairstyle for hunting. A quiver of arrows was slung over her shoulder, her brand new bow ready by her hand. Finally, Rinka, the "archer princess", was back in her element.

First, Rinka tested the bowstring. She knew a new bow would need some time to get used to. After a bit of practice, she deemed she was decent enough, and began to hunt for actual prey.

Rinka's ears pricked up, attentively waiting for any sounds. A brown blur darted in the distance, and Rinka tracked it until it was within shooting distance. Then Rinka slowly, smoothly, sunk into a crouch, half concealed by the bushes. She drew her hand back-

The sharp twang of a bow sounded and the arrow tore through the air. It hit the target and it crumpled to the ground.

Rinka approached the shot animal. It was a brown hare, not unlike the ones she saw at home. Rinka was sure the forest was brimming with them. She dug the arrow out and fitted it back in her bow.

Rinka hunted until she recognized the telltale signs of sunset on the sky. It hadn't started to darken yet, but it would in ten minutes or so. Rinka had to go. Being trapped in an unfamiliar environment at night would surely be dangerous.

Rinka tried to navigate back, but swiftly became aware that she was lost. She had been so engrossed and she had overestimated her ability. She threw her game down and climbed a tree to gain a better view. Rinka tossed her head up and whistled loudly. A second passed by. Two seconds.

A familiar shape zoomed above her. Rinka whistled again, and this time, the dragon found Rinka and lowered itself.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"Good enough," Rinka replied as she climbed atop the dragon. She had caught three hares and a fish for Yumi.

They flew back to the tower in silence. Rinka looked down at the forest and attempted to memorize her route so she wouldn't get lost again. As they approached the clearing, Rinka saw a bright dot blazing in the midst of darkness. At first she was afraid someone had found her already, but soon enough she realized it was a campfire. The dragon had been kind enough to build one.

"What do you eat anyway?" Rinka asked the dragon.

"Just animals that I find," the dragon replied gruffly. "Cattle, chickens, sheep… your usual animals. I do my best to only eat the wild ones as I don't want to disrupt people."

After landing, Rinka deftly skinned the hare and took the bones out of the fish. She was infinitely grateful that she knew how to catch prey and feed herself. Not many princesses knew such practical knowledge. As Yumi gobbled up the fish, Rinka speared one of the hares with a long stick and cooked it over the fire. The dragon crouched a few paces next to her, watching her attentively. Rinka didn't miss the way his eyes were practically glued onto the cooked meat.

(Privately, Rinka thought the dragon was behaving somewhat like a cat.)

"If you want food, you just have to ask," Rinka stated loudly.

A pause.

"No, no, it's fine," the dragon hurriedly said, swishing his tail rather anxiously.

Rinka let out a soft sigh and tossed a cooked hare in his direction. "You can eat it. I caught too much, anyway."

The dragon sniffed the meat and a happy grumble sounded from his throat. His jaws snapped opened and he looked like he was about to swallow it whole, but then his red eyes met Rinka's. The dragon froze immediately, and almost cautiously, took a bite of the meat.

This puzzled Rinka, as the dragon was more than capable of eating it in one go. Then she realized the dragon was attempting to show some table manners to her, a princess, who had been practicing courtesy and etiquette ever since she was a toddler.

If Rinka was Rio, she probably would've laughed and made fun of the dragon. It was a hilarious image- a grotesque beast trying to be a well-behaved person. But Rinka was not Rio. She _did_ think it was a bit amusing, but nevertheless appreciated the dragon's sentiments.

"Thanks for the food." The dragon interrupted her thoughts.

"It's fine. Just a small payback for what you've agreed to do."

Of course, Rinka wasn't much of a fan of living in the middle of nowhere like a wildman, but it was all for her kingdom. Sooner or later, a high-ranked prince would come along and Rinka would let him take her, and then they would establish beneficial connections between their kingdoms. She would get married, but she wouldn't mind it that much if the prince was a good person.

"By the way, do you have a name?" Rinka asked. "I don't want to keep on calling you 'dragon' the whole time."

The dragon stared off into the distance, seemingly deep in thought. "... You can give me one," he finally said.

Rinka furrowed her eyebrows slightly. She had a feeling this dragon used to be human before, and had a previous life. Therefore, he could've had a name before… or maybe he was genuinely nameless.

"Hmm…" Rinka tore a strip of meat apart and munched it, buying time for her reply. "I'm not a very creative person, so... how about Ryuu?"

The dragon turned this in his mind for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, you can call me Ryuu, Your Highness."

Rinka smiled at her new partner. "Let's hope a good prince finds us before the mediocre ones."

A beat. "I hope so too."

* * *

Twelve hours earlier, the palace started its daily hustle and bustle. Hinano, Rinka's lady-in-waiting, knew Rinka liked to wake up early, so she went to her room with a nice cup of morning tea.

Hinano knocked lightly on the door. "Good morning, Rinka-chan!" she greeted cheerfully.

There wasn't a reply. Hinano thought that was unusual, but perhaps Rinka was just tired and was sleeping in.

"I'm coming in!" she announced. The great doors creaked open and Hinano entered.

The first thing Hinano saw was a disarray of clothes and furniture scattered on the carpeted floor. Confused yet frightened, Hinano's eyes trailed up to Rinka's bed- her empty bed.

For three seconds, Hinano was completely frozen with shock and disbelief, then consumed by unadulterated panic.

There was no mistaking it.

The cup of tea fell and crashed to the floor, but Hinano paid no heed.

The girl stumbled away, legs running as fast as they could, searching for someone, anyone, to tell the bad news.

* * *

A series of rapid knocking sounded on the door.

"Prince Hiroto? Prince Hiroto!"

"Mmhmm…" Hiroto muttered sleepily.

There was a _whack!_ and a pillow slammed into Hiroto's head. "Oy, bastard womanizer, someone's calling for you!" Hinata yelled from the bed.

"Got it, got it." Hiroto stumbled out of the couch to the door. Although he and Hinata slept in the same room, he had let her take the bed and he had taken the couch. Hinata still thought Hiroto was annoying, but at least he was somewhat chivalrous.

Hiroto yanked open the door. Hinano stood there, as pale as a ghost. Hiroto sensed something was wrong and instantly became awake. A terrible chill coursed through his body.

"What's happening?" Hiroto questioned the girl urgently.

Hinano opened her mouth to speak, voice trembling with fear.

"Your Highness, it-It's Rinka! She's missing!"

* * *

 **A/N: Heeey I'm back with a new chapter! Thanks for 900+ views (I'm hoping to reach 1k soon)! :D**

 **Replies to reviews:**

 _ **Reade-Queen-Of-Versailles**_ **: Thank you! Also I won't comment on your Chiba/the dragon ideas now :) Hope you enjoyed the little MaeKano here! As for Hazama, I'll promise you she'll play a bigger part than she seems :D**

 _ **Guest**_ **: Honestly, your idea is super cool! It's just like Beauty and the Beast :D But lmao I've always personally felt Chiba would be too nice for that. Thanks for your support!**

 **Thanks for reading, and reviews are appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.**

* * *

Hiroto felt like he was frozen in time and space.

His little sister was missing.

 _She was kidnapped,_ they said in hushed voices. _Kidnapped by a dragon._

At first, Hiroto couldn't believe it. Unlike most kidnapped princesses, Rinka could fight. She was the most skilled archer he'd ever known, and this was coming from a guy with a lot of connections. But he knew humans had their limits. They were no match for the dangerous beast that was the dragon.

But then he witnessed the disarray of Rinka's room first-hand. The scattered clothes, the messy bed, the lack of a familiar figure. The cruel reality punched him in the gut and Hiroto fell to his knees, hot tears leaking from his eyes. His sister was taken. Gone.

His parents acted quickly. They summoned the court painter, a young lanky man called Sousuke, and ordered him to create drawings of Rinka. Sousuke was remarkably good at sketching and his portrait of Rinka was extremely close to the real thing. Posters were sent all over the kingdom and beyond.

The king had promised Rinka's hand in marriage and other treasures for whoever that could bring her back.

Hiroto desperately wanted to grab a horse and ride off into the woods to find his sister, but that would be irresponsible. He was the crown prince and the heir. He had to stay back to manage the kingdom.

Hinata was also similarly furious and protective over her sister-in-law. At least they were in agreement about something. Every time they were freed from meetings and administrative duties, they rushed to train with their weapons. They might be aggravated by one another sometimes, but they did make good sparring partners. Hiroto always knew Hinata was extremely flexible, but recently her power and reflexes never failed to impress Hiroto. She was extremely skilled with knives. And he was one of the best young swordsman in the kingdom. Contrary to what you might think, Hiroto wasn't jealous at all, in fact he was delighted that he could have someone to compete with, and that someone turned out to be his _wife._ The beast that had kidnapped Rinka better be ready for their wrath.

Hiroto met up with Rio, Rinka's guard. The usually nonchalant Rio was tense and anxious. The mischievous light was out of her blue eyes. Rio rode into the forests every day in hopes of finding a trail, but Hiroto knew it was no use as the dragon could fly. He didn't have the heart to stop Rio though, as she was doing all she could.

Gradually, over the course of a week, the kingdom received news from the other kingdoms. Prince Itona, as Rinka's assumed future husband, vowed to search for her immediately. Prince Taiga, probably still lovestruck over Rinka, was also desperately trying to find her. For once, Hiroto was sort of glad for his sister's suitors. In addition, other princes and their kingdoms also pledged to help.

Hiroto sometimes found himself staring at the sky, wondering how Rinka was doing right now, wherever she was. Was she hurt? Scared? Or did she slay the dragon? Hiroto hoped she'd killed the beast. It would be a fitting tale for the archer princess.

But as the days passed, there was still no sign of Rinka nor a dragon.

* * *

Among the packed bookshelves and dusty scrolls, a young figure stood there, idly flipping through books. His scarlet hair stood out among his woody surroundings. Prince Karma tended to make spontaneous trips to the library whenever he felt the urge to research something. As a result, his whereabouts tended to be unpredictable.

Hurried footsteps echoed through the palace library. Karma looked up, instantly alert. The messenger's face was flushed and he looked extremely anxious.

"Your Highness, we received an urgent letter. Princess Rinka has been kidnapped by a dragon!"

Karma quickly skimmed through the letter. Princess Rinka… ah, that was the one who recently turned eighteen. He didn't attend her birthday ball. She was somewhat popular among other princes. Her kingdom was of medium strength, plus their kingdoms weren't enemies, so Karma wasn't really interested in her.

Obviously, the prize for rescuing her would be her hand in marriage. This was to motivate princes to find her. Karma had no interest in marrying her (or any other princesses, for that matter). Contrary to popular belief, Karma was not a cold-hearted demon, and he decided to send troops to search for the lost princess. If his men somehow found her, Karma would just refuse to marry her. Rinka's dad would agree because after all, Karma's kingdom was one of the strongest kingdoms. It would be a foolish decision to anger them.

"Prince Yuuma, as a close friend of Prince Hiroto and Princess Rinka, is also very involved in the search," the messenger reported.

Karma drummed his fingers on a bookshelf. _Yuuma, huh?_ Their kingdoms were both extremely powerful and they longed to best the other. They were neck to neck in terms of economic and military power. The two kingdoms weren't complete enemies (a war would just devastate everyone) but they still liked to get the upper hand.

And finding the princess might just be a way to prove he was better than Yuuma.

To be honest, Karma was getting rather bored. His parents still managed the kingdom, and he'd finished the studies that had been assigned to him. All he did every day was reading, training, playing the occasional prank, and that was it.

This kidnapped princess posed as a challenge. Karma _adored_ challenges. He knew he had a good chance of finding Rinka and killing the dragon before the others could.

What other way could he test his abilities, help someone, and prove himself at the same time?

Karma made his mind up. He said thanks to the messenger and made his way to his study. As he strode through the airy corridors, he caught a purple braid disappearing around a corner. Karma quickened his pace but when he went around the corner, there was no one to be seen. Ah, the servants always moved so quickly. Like everyone else in the palace, they led a busy life.

In his study, Karma picked up a quill and started to write. His hand moved smoothly, leaving behind elegant, looped calligraphy. As he wrote, he stared at a portrait of Rinka that came with the message of her kidnapping. It was stunningly realistic. _Hats off to the artist,_ Karma thought.

Several days later, Hiroto's father received a letter from a rather unlikely person.

Prince Karma, of all people, had promised to help find Rinka.

They all had the lurking suspicion that Karma looked down on them, but somehow, Rinka's kidnapping ended up attracting Karma's attention and aid. They were delighted, but suspicious.

"Well, okay," said Hinata blankly. "He's- he's powerful, right? And he's trying to help us. The odds are in our favour."

Hiroto frowned. "I wonder if he has any ulterior motives. This is too good to be true. And it happened so suddenly."

"Let's be wary of him, then," Hinata offered. "At least we can trust Yuuma. Prince Itona seems to be rather sincere too."

Hiroto sighed and rubbed his forehead wearily. "I just want her to be back…"

* * *

Rinka was doing surprisingly well in the wild. Well technically, it wasn't _that_ surprising considering her archery skills. But she could stomach the tough game meat and the occasional burnt pieces despite being fed with gourmet food ever since she was born.

A week had passed since her departure. Rinka didn't like to speak much, but sometimes she chatted with the dragon, Ryuu, out of politeness (and boredom). They both theorized on which prince would come to save her. (Actually, only Rinka was theorizing, as Ryuu did not know a lot about the royal families.)

Ryuu didn't talk much about himself, and Rinka didn't enquire. The dragon seemed to be eager to gain her trust and always kept a lookout for potential dangers. Rinka decided to give Ryuu the benefit of the doubt. She was careful to not reveal personal details but somehow ended up teaching Ryuu. They would lie on the grass during cool nights and she would point out certain stars and constellations. Sometimes, Rinka would draw out the maps of the kingdoms on the ground and explain geography to Ryuu. That little circle was the capital of the kingdom. Beyond those woods were where the barbarians and the so-called witches dwelled. Ryuu said he'd flown over those places and the land masses had seemed different from a bird's eye view (or dragon's eye view). The dragon was fascinated and hung onto every word she said. Rinka was ever grateful that she had been educated, as she knew not many civilians had the chance to go to school.

(This made her even more curious about Ryuu's past, but she kept quiet.)

Sunrise, sunset. Sunrise, sunset. As the idle days slipped past, Rinka started to worry about their supplies. She could only fashion crude clothes out of animal hides, and she would very much like to have materials such as sacks and rope. Rinka would never resort to stealing, and her best bet would be to sell some of her belongings while in disguise. Rinka had a few pieces of expensive jewellery, but she was afraid she would be exposed as no ordinary person should have such elaborate accessories.

Ryuu had suggested her to go to the market in the nearest village. They were far away enough and news couldn't spread that quickly. Rinka had a big cloak with her which should hide her face sufficiently. Maybe she could don a mask. Would that be too suspicious?

Rinka would've stayed up late to ponder the problem, but she was exhausted from the daily hunting. Each night, she dragged herself to her bed and fell asleep the instant her head touched the pillow.

That night, two hours later, she was woken up by a very excited Ryuu, who was flapping his wings and crying, "A raid's happening! The barbarians are raiding the village!"

* * *

 **A/N: yOOOOO WE REACHED 1K VIEWS! Thank you :D**

 **It's been, what, half a year since I updated? It's been half a year? Damn, it's actually been more than a year since I started this fic and it's still in the beginnings lol.**

 **I kind of feel like this chapter's not up to standard? But I'm tired and I don't want to rewrite it so here it is.**

 **Replies to reviews:**

 _ **Reade-Queen-Of-Versailles**_ **: Haha thanks! Also abjksbadldalNO I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE THEM FALL IN LOVE WITH HE'S A DRAGON I tagged this as friendship for a reason :D also like every ChibaHaya fic, it's a slowburn.**

 _ **Guest**_ **: Thanks! I guess you got your answers this chapter :D As for your comment on Ryuu being hunted, hehe… ;)**

 _ **ToadetteIsMyCaptain**_ **: Hi! Fancy seeing you here :) yeah Ryuu is basically the only name for the dragon. Don't force yourself to review :D also thanks for your nice comments!**

 _ **Frostfur12345**_ **: Thanks! I intend to continue :)**

 **Thanks for reading, and please review if you have the time :D**


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